A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the load-bearing portion called the deck is hung below main suspension cables on vertical hangers or suspender cables. The main cables are suspended between towers and form a parabola, the suspenders transferring the load to the cables and the cables transferring the load to the towers.
The main cables are generally braided steel wire and are over-wrapped to form a circular cross section. At specific points along the main cable, bands are installed to carry the steel wire suspenders.
Like any steel that is constantly exposed to the elements, the steel of cables requires periodic maintenance. Generally, maintenance projects require that the bridge be shut down completely or reduced to a minimum number of lanes. Since most bridges carry a significant amount of traffic during most of the day and night, maintenance usually is limited to off-peak traffic times if possible, which extends the duration of the project.
When maintenance is performed on the main cables, workers generally must walk on top of the main cable, using a hand rope parallel above the cable to maintain balance. For safety reasons when the workers are working on the main cable, it is generally necessary to shut down several if not all lanes on the bridge to traffic which is not only inconvenient but also has economic consequences.
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